Lost Episode: College Prep
by mrs.morris
Summary: This is the first episode following graduation. Focuses on the entire gang and attempts to add continuity between the high school years and college years. Still in progress.
1. Scene 1: Dropping the Shopping

Hey, it's Zack. My friends and I just graduated Bayside. We should be excited right? Well, I was. Then, I realized just how much of my life would be changing. When the summer ends, I'll be leaving behind some of my best friends and the girl of my dreams. I'll be close to Jessie and Lisa, but I'll be all alone at Yale. Where they'll expect me to study. I'll go from big shot to big loser.

Hey, but I'm not the only one having second thoughts. Slater is tired of moving around. Plus, he realized that he won't be the wrestling or football star he would like to be at Iowa. He's thinking about giving up his wrestling scholarship to Iowa, and taking the wrestling scholarship California University is offering.

Kelly is going to be staying at home working and attending classes at the community college. She's trying to stay positive, but that's hard to do since she knows at the end of summer she'll be saying goodbye to her best friends.

But, what Kelly doesn't know is that Lisa told her parents to give graduation present– a shopping spree– to Kelly. Lisa's parents were so touched that they decided to help pay a big part of Kelly's way into a four year university.

Oh yeah, and one more thing. We all promised we would live this summer up, spending all the time we could with each other, and, most importantly, we'd stay friends forever.

***

"Jessie?"

"Yeah, Lisa. What's up?"

"Do you have any leftover college applications?"

"Huh? Lisa, why do you need those? You didn't get kicked out of the fashion institute did you?" Jessie gasped at the thought.

"No. No. No. And why is everyone expecting the worst? I need them for Kelly."

"Lisa, I am so confused."

Lisa rolled her eyes. "Girl, do you have to know everything? Just get what you have together and I'll be over in an hour… actually make that two."

"Whatever you say, Lisa," Jessie sighed. "Eric is still here you know."

"I know that's why I'll be there in two hours instead of one. A girl needs to look good. " She hung up the phone and began to get ready. _Hey, I can't completely change overnight._

Lisa made a quick stop to Screech's house to pick up some of his college brochures and applications. Since he had applied to so many different schools, she knew he would have plenty of stuff for her and Jessie to go through. Between Jessie's and Screech's applications and brochures, there had to be a school that was a good pick for Kelly.

Jessie met her at the door. "Okay, I have everything together. Now , can you please tell me what we're doing?"

"Ok, here's the deal. We're going to find a college for Kelly," Lisa said matter of factly. Jessie just stared at her blankly.

"I had an idea last night. I asked my parents to give my shopping spree money to Kelly instead of me. That way she can go for her dreams, like us. She gives up so much for her family… it just feels right that I give up something for her."

"Lisa, that's wonderful, but even one of your shopping sprees couldn't cover tuition to a university for four years," Jessie said chuckling. "We can't just get Kelly's hopes up only to let them be dashed.

Lisa threw up her hands. Her smile never faded. "You didn't let me finish. Once I explained Kelly's situation to them, they promised to give Kelly my shopping spree money and then some. They are going to talk to Kelly's parents to see what money they are able to put in, if any. Then, we can see if she would be eligible for any grants…"

"And she could easily get scholarships with all of her extracurricular activities, and if she got a work study job, that could cover expenses like books and clothes!" Jessie interrupted. "Lisa, you are terrific!" Jessie ran over and hugged her. "Let's get to work! Where do we begin?"

"Well, as much as you and I—and Zack-- would love to have her in New York. I'm thinking Kelly is so family oriented, she would be happier closer to home," Lisa said grabbing a pencil.

"Yeah, plus out of state tuition is much more expensive," Jessie agreed. "In state schools it is." They sorted through the stacks of brochures and piled all of the California ones up. Then, they looked closely at the admission regulations trying to find one that would except Kelly's GPA and SAT score. They both reached for Stansbury to toss it into the "no" pile, and laughed. Lisa let Jessie have the honor. After about an hour of research, Jessie was sitting in the floor surrounded by applications and pamphlets, and Lisa was lying on the bed reading the USC pamphlet.

Someone knocked on the door, causing Lisa, who was halfway asleep, to sit up startled. "Hey, sis," a voice with a New York accent spoke, "can I come in?" Lisa's heart skipped a beat. She sat up, smoothed her clothes, fluffed her hair, ran over to the mirror to see if she had anything in her teeth, and ran back to the bed to pose in a very lady like sitting position in five seconds flat. Jessie rolled her eyes. "Sure, Eric, come on in," she replied sweetly. Eric strode in, but froze when he saw Lisa. "I can see you two ladies are very busy," he said with a half smile shoving his hands into the pockets of his ripped jeans.

"Actually, we've done all we can do," Jessie replied. She started picking up the mess around her. Lisa, who had forgotten to breathe since Eric came in, began to do the same.

"Here, let me help with that," Eric said as he started picking brochures up off the floor, "Wait a second, why are you two looking at colleges. I thought you already got into the ones you wanted."

"They aren't for us. They're for our friend Kelly," Jessie told him.

"Ah, the perky one. Morris' chi—I mean, girl," he corrected himself.

"Yeah," Jessie giggled, "Except she needs a little perking up this time. So, Lisa's parents are going to help pay Kelly's way into a college. Lisa wanted to give her shopping spree money to Kelly, and her parents were so moved they wanted to do more." Jessie told Eric in admiration.

"And here I thought you were the activist," Eric joked. He stepped toward Lisa and began to help her pick up the pamphlets. "You gave up shopping?" he asked in a more serious tone.

"It's really nothing," Lisa replied embarrassed. She was speaking quietly, "When you think about it, it doesn't really mean anything. My parents are doing it all." She looked down at her pamphlets and starting shuffling them. Then, as she reached down for the last one on the bed, Eric did too.

As their hands touched, Lisa's eyes widened with surprise. She raised her gaze slowly from the pamphlet until she met Eric's eyes. There was no hint of mockery in them. "You gave up what you love for a friend. That means something." He handed her the last pamphlet. Lisa was moving in slow motion, and couldn't tell if she took it from him or not. By the time, she snapped out of it, he was gone.


	2. Scene 2: Which Way is Home?

Slater was cleaning up his room. He had let it get pretty messy lately with everything that had been going on—applying for college, finals, senior prom, graduation, Jessie. He smiled thinking about their walk home yesterday. He was glad they had taken a walk together. He had a lot of stuff he needed to talk to her about, mostly his second thoughts about Iowa.

Jessie had listened intently and, surprisingly, said very little. She had told him she couldn't tell him what to choose, and that California University seemed like a good school. She hadn't given him all the answers like he had expected, but sharing his troubles with her had made him feel better.

Then, he remembered one more thing Jessie had told him, "Just make sure you're happy with whatever school you choose. I read that freshmen who aren't happy with their college's atmosphere are more likely to drop out." He smiled as he remembered the confident look on her face. She was so cute when she was serious.

As he began straightening up some papers on his night stand, he saw the Iowa University brochures. He flipped through it taking in all it had to offer. The university promised so much, but he didn't seem to care anymore.

He stacked up the brochure and loose papers, and started to put them in the drawer of his night stand. When he saw the California University booklet, he pulled it out then turned each page slowly, soaking in every bit of the campus, the sports teams, and the majors they offered. He'd never paid much attention when applying. But now, everything about California University seemed perfect. He knew this was the campus that he where he would be happy. "So long land of farmers daughters. Hello again, California girls," he said flashing his dimpled smile.


End file.
